


New Beginnings

by humblenoodle



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Boys In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Gentleness, M/M, Post-War, Pre-Season 5, i love them, im so shit at tagging things why does anyone let me do anything, they're just good ok leave me alone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 14:14:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15074900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/humblenoodle/pseuds/humblenoodle
Summary: War just ended, and the shock hasn't settled in, but there's always room for that blooming romance between two paladins. Even if they still have to finish saving the Universe from the effects of the Galra.





	New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> I love soft boys, and the war being over so they caN GO HOME AND BE HAPPY DAMMIT. There'd also be so much I'd change with this fic, if I'd written it having seen season 6 but clearly that wasn't Possible considering I wrote the outline prior to even season five. (Although I threw in a little bit of season five in there, something of which I'M STILL FUCKIN' BITTER OVER but also understand why it played out as it had.)
> 
> Anyway, enjoy? :)

They had all known the last battle would be the worst. The Galra were a proud race, and a valiant one hell-bent on winning a war they’d already long lost when the Coalition recovered two thirds of the Universe from their control a little over a year ago, cutting off the majority of their supplies and pushing ever closer to the Galran home base. Everyone had been well-prepared for the fight of their lives, ready to risk life and limb to finally end this horrible war.

Lance just never expected the battle to be as gruesome as it turned out; he’d never truly considered how many lives would be lost on that day, and how many he would have taken with his own hands. Sure, he’d grown accustomed to the knowledge that every time he stepped out of the castle in Blue, someone would be dying. And, as everyone knows, an animal backed into a corner fought the hardest, and the coalition had pushed the Galra to the breaking point.

In the end, despite all the strife they’d faced over the past four years, Voltron stood victorious over the remaining Galran forces, who had finally surrendered when the Coalition cut down their leaders. The fight was over, at long last, and the remaining Galra were taken away to be tried for their crimes against the peoples across the Universe, generals and officers at the forefront of the masses.

With a low groan, Lance settled back down on the nearest rock, body twinging at the movement. There was more bruises on his body than there was clear skin, and a lot more wounds than he’d really care to admit to. Normally his lion would take most of the damage for him, but after getting hit by an ion cannon, Lance had to take the initiative and jump out in order to help the rest still fighting while his lion recovered. Injuries had quickly befallen him, but he supposed it really could have been worse. After all, he was still alive out of the thousands who’d perished. It could have been _him_ lying there on the ground, but there was air in his lungs and blood pumping through his veins.

Lance sighed and tipped his head up to watch the horizon, where the starlight gently caressed his skin, warming his chilled face. All of his adrenaline had faded, and the coolness of the early evening was settling in, rolling over sweaty skin.

 _But I’m alive_ , Lance reminded himself, for the thousandth time. _I’m alive_.

Much later, the real shock would settle in, but for now those words were enough. Lance  was alive, and so are all of his closest friends. It’ll be okay.

“Lance!”

Perking up at the sound of his name being called, Lance looked around and, much to his peace of mind, found Shiro jogging towards him from some distance. The Black Paladin looked a little worse for wear, but by the looks of it, he’d fared better than Lance had by far. Though he seemed to be favoring his left side.

If Lance had any strength left in him, he would have met Shiro halfway with screams of delight, but instead he raised his hand in a half-hearted wave that he hoped conveyed his excitement that this bitterly long war was finally ending.

Relief was evident on Shiro’s face as he neared, a broken smile tilting up his lips. Lance slowly rose to his feet in greeting, but Shiro beat him to it, scooping Lance up in his arms with annoying ease. Lance still laughed, affectionately knocking their foreheads together.

“Easy there, big guy, I’m damaged property here!”

Shiro gently eased him to the ground, murmuring a soft, “Sorry,” but didn’t let Lance stray far. One arm stayed coiled around his waist as Shiro’s free, flesh hand soothes along Lance’s cheek, thumb stroking along the soft skin. Lance breathed out for what felt the first time since the battle began, because now he knew… Now it was all over, and he was back, _safe_ , in Shiro’s arms. Where he belonged.

“We did it,” Shiro whispered, and somehow Lance heard him clear as day over all the surrounding noise of ships and shouts of victory. “We won.”

“All thanks to you,” Lance told him earnestly. “If you hadn’t come back when you did…”

“If you hadn’t _saved_ me when you did, we would have lost. Don’t downplay yourself and the role you played in ending this war, Lance. You’re the only one who figured it out.”

Lance’s lips turned up in a tiny, weak smile. “You’re the only one who knew I could.”

Shiro returned the smile, and his fingers squeeze on Lance’s side. “Despite being so cocky, you have a horribly low opinion of yourself. _You_ saved me Lance, only you did that.”

Warmth colored Lance’s cheeks, but his broken chest was swelling with pride. Yeah, yeah he did do that. He saved Shiro. _Lance did that_. Not Keith, not Hunk, not Pidge, not Allura. Not all the people who’ve always been so much more amazing than he ever has been. Lance was  the one who saved Shiro, and the one Shiro chose. Even after everything, it was _Lance._ And he breathed in, for the first time in a long time.

“Yeah, you’re right. I saved you…” Lance squeezed Shiro’s arms, revealing for a single moment that there was something so _real_ and _tangible_ under his touch, before continuing, “But we all won the war.”

“Damn right we did.”

When Shiro kissed him, Lance never had felt so complete before. All the while that the team has been in space, they’ve kept to themselves. They didn’t allow the relationship they were both dying to have, but finally, _finally_ , the war’s over. Everyone was free to love without the fear of disappearance or death any more. And now Lance finally had _Shiro_ , had the person he’d loved for longer than life itself; the person he’d loved with more power than Voltron has ever possessed.

“Ahem…”

Slowly Lance pulled away, and Shiro more reluctantly did as well. Pidge stood to their side, a cheeky grin on her face as they stayed wrapped up together despite the interruption. There was nothing to hide, the team had known forever that they were head over heels for each other.

“We actually _do_ still have to transport the Galra to prison, you know,” she informed them, her smile only growing. “You can also mack on each other later, _after_ Lance takes a nice little jaunt in the healing pods.”

Shiro’s laugh rumbled through both of them, free and deep. Amusement colored his voice as he wryly commented, “You’re right, as usual.”

Their hands slid together naturally, fingers twining as tight as they both dared to hold on without fear of hurting each other. Lance grinned, and pulled Shiro against his side.

“I think we both need tonight off, though,” he told her, very matter-of-factly.

Pidge adjusted her glasses, and gave them both a sly smile. “I think that can be arranged.”

**Author's Note:**

> what are end notes  
> dont look at me


End file.
